Thursday, June 24, 2010

Under the volcano


The smallest volcano in Mexico is the Cuexcomate, with an elevation of only 13 meters (43 feet).  This inactive volcano is regarded as the smallest one on Earth. As a tourist you can visit it and even descend into the 8 meter wide crater. The Pico de Orizaba, is the largest Mexican volcano with a height of 5636 meters (18490 feet). Its last eruption took place in 1687. After the African Kilimanjaro it is the 2nd most prominent volcanic peak in the world. Did you know that Mexico counts more than 40 volcanoes ?   In the last 25 years no less than 5 different volcanoes erupted :

1982 El Chichón
1986 Tacaná
1993 Socorro
2006 Popocatepetl
2009 Colima

For sure, volcanic eruptions are part of life in Mexico now and they were so in the past. The $100 share of the Compañia Guayulera Mexicano, dated 1906, shows a Guayule planter at rest on a hot windless afternoon. A large volcano dominates the setting.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Netherland Line promoted business

The Netherlands Steamship Company, also known as the Nederland Line, was one of many companies showing off its kind of activities in the design of its shares .
The company was founded in 1870 to operate a passenger, freight and mail  service between Holland and the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) via the Suez Canal (Egypt).

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Delightful puppetry

More than 1000 years ago, old Indonesian inscriptions already spoke of wayang, which means "theatre".

Wayang kulit, "shadow puppet theatre", is the oldest form of still existing puppet theatre in the world. The puppets are mounted on bamboo sticks and, held up between a cloth and a light source, cast their shadows on the white canvas. Kulit means "skin" and refers to the buffalo hide they are made from.
 
double-click to enlarge image
 
This rare specimen certificate, depicting Wayang puppets in the underprint, is a 4% bond for 1000 Dutch guilder, and made part of the Dutch East Indies Conversion Loan 1934 A. 
 
F.L.
 
N.B. : Here is a great video, from UNESCO, on the Wayang puppet theatre.
 
 
 


Wednesday, June 2, 2010

In the Name of the Great Architect of the Universe.

Do masonic membership documents deserve a place in a scripophily collection ? Being intriguing, their ancient symbols and large embossed seals, stimulate our curiosity.

MYJ7NTH9DPVE
detail from Masonic membership certificate showing embossed seal


Some sources estimate there are about 2-3 million freemasons spread all over the world. They are organised in Lodges and meet in regular meetings at fixed places.  Freemasonry membership requires that a candidate believe in a Supreme Being, however the candidate can choose his own interpretation of this believe. So, Freemasonry accepts members from a wide range of faiths.


bond from the Masonic Hall Association

Masonic Hall Association
St. Louis, Missouri, 1869


Because their extensive use of symbols and rituals, lodges are often distrusted and associated with conspiracies.  Actually, their main preoccupations remain charitable work within a community in a morally responsable way conform their beliefs.

Besides these activities, lodges manage their property and assets; and they may own and share its premises. Like any other business, they will have operations to manage such as dealing with expenses and proceedings, charity funds, membership administration, accounting, etcetera. And that is where our hobby comes into the picture. Masonic organizations have left us share and bond certificates.


Stock certificate of the Masonic Society of Waterman, USA

Masonic Society of Waterman
Waterman, Illinois, 1876 


Membership certificates may add that little extra to your masonic collection. You will see, that these documents contain a lot of typical abbreviations, for which a list is given below.

Freemasons use their own chronology. Instead of Anno Domini, counting starts from their date of creation, which is 4000 B.C.

Do you have a nice certificate with an abbreviation not in the list ? Sure, I'd be happy to know about it or to receive a scan.

Bro. Franky, A.L.6011



Loge Anna Paulowna
Zaandam, Netherlands, 1870 
courtesy Stocklobster  


Masonic abbreviations
1st G.P.: First Grand Principal (Royal Arch).
2nd G.P.: Second Grand Principal (Royal Arch).
3rd G.P.: Third Grand Principal (Royal Arch).
A.: Answer.
A.A.O.N.M.S.: Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (U.S.A.)
A. & A. R.: Ancient and Accepted Rite.
A. & A. S. R.: Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
A. & P. R.: Antient and Primitive Rite.
A.F.& A.M.: Antient Free and Accepted Masons.
A. B.: Anno Beneficio.
A. Dep.: Anno depositionis. System of chronology used by Royal and Select Masters, calculating dates from the completion of Solomon's temple, 1000 B.C.
A.Inv.: Anno inventionis. System of chronology used in the Royal Arch, where dates are calculated from the commencement of the Second Temple in 530 B.C.
A.H.: Anno hebraico. System of chronology used by the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, calculating years from the date of the creation, taken as 3760 years before the Christian era.
A.L.: Anno lucis. The system of chronology used in craft freemasonry which numbers years from the date of the creation, taken as being 4,000 B.C.
A.O.: Anno ordinis. System of chronology used by the masonic Knights Templar, in which years are dated from the founding of the medieval Order of the Temple, A.D. 1118.
AQC: Ars Quatuor Coronatorum: transactions of the English masonic research lodge, Quatuor Coronati No. 2076.
ADC: Assistant Director of Ceremonies.
B.: Boaz. One of the sacred pillars of Solomon's temple.
B.G.P.: Board of General Purposes.
B. of C.: Book of Constitutions.
Brn.: Brethren.
Bro.: Brother
CMRC: Canonbury Masonic Research Centre.
D.C.: Director of Ceremonies.
D.G.: Due Guard.
D.G.M.: Deputy Grand Master.
Dep.: Deputy
Dist. G.M.: District Grand Master.
D.O.: Dedicating Officer.
E.: the Scribe Ezra.Royal Arch equivalent of a lodge secretary.
E.A.: Entered Apprentice: The first degree of craft masonry.
E.C.: English Constitution.
E.Comp.: Excellent Companion [Royal Arch].
Ex.Comp.: Excellent Companion [Royal Arch].
F.: Fellowship.
F. & A.M.: Free and Accepted Masons.
F.C.: Fellow Craft. The second degree of craft masonry.
F.F.F.: Fidelity, fidelity, fidelity. Term used in the closing ceremony.
F.P.O.F.:The Five Points of Fellowship.
G.D.C.: Grand Director of Ceremonies.
G.Chap.: Grand Chaplain.
G.I.G: Grand Inner Guard
G. Hist. Grand Historiographer, Grand Imperial Council (R.C.C)
G.L.: Grand Lodge.
G.M.: Grand Master.
G.Org.: Grand Organist.
G.P.: Grand Principal (Royal Arch)
G. Purs.: Grand Pursuivant.
G. Reg.: Grand Registrar.
G.S.E. : Grand Scribe Ezra, see E. for Ezra
G.Sec.: Grand Secretary.
G St B: Grand Standard Bearer, Grand Senate (R.C.C)
G. Swd. B.: Grand Sword Bearer.
G. Treas.: Grand Treasurer.
H.: Haggai, the Prophet. One of the three Grand Principals of the Royal Arch.
H.A.: Hiram Abif. The master mason who, according to masonic legend, built Solomon's temple. The story of his murder is reenacted in the ritual for the degree of Master Mason.
I.C.: Irish Constitution.
I.G.: Inner Guard.
I.M.: Installed Master.
I.T.N.O.T.G.A.O.T.U.: In the Name of the Great Architect of the Universe.
J.: Jachin. One of the sacred pillars of Solomon's temple.
J: Joshua, the High Priest. One of the three Grand Principals of the Royal Arch.
J.D.: Junior Deacon.
J.G.W.: Junior Grand Warden.
J.W.: Junior Warden.
K.S.T.: King Solomon's Temple.
K. T.: Knight(s) Templar
L.: Light.
L.G.R.: London Grand Rank. A distinction for meritorious office conferred in London lodges.
L.G.C.R.: London Grand Chapter Rank.
L.G.R.A.: London Grand Rank Association.
L.M.C.T.: Library and Museum Charitable Trust.
L.of I.: Lodge of Instruction.
M.: Master.
M.E.: Most Excellent (Royal Arch).
M.M.: Master Mason. The third degree of craft masonry.
M.M.M.: Mark Master Mason
M.W.: Most Worshipful. Used for Grand Master, Pro Grand Master, Past Grand Master, Past Pro Grand Master.
N.: Nehemiah. Officer of a Royal Arch Chapter.
N.Y.C.: New York Constitution.
Ob.: Obligation.
Obs.: Obligations.
Oxf.: Oxford Ritual.
P.A.: Past Assistant
P.A.G.C.: Past Assistant Grand Chaplain.
P.A.G. Chap.: Past Assistant Grand Chaplain.
P.A.G.D.C.: Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
P.A.G.Reg.: Past Assistant Grand Registrar.
P.A.G.Sojr.: Past Assistant Grand Sojourner (Royal Arch).
P.C.: Perfect Ceremonies (standard English ritual handbook)
P.D.G.C.: Past Deputy Grand Chaplain.
P. Dep.G.Reg.: Past Deputy Grand Registrar.
P.Dist. G.M.: Past District Grand Master.
P.G.: Past Grand.
P.G. Overseer: Past Grand Overseer
P.G.D.: Past Grand Deacon
P.G.M.: Past Grand Master
P.G.Org.: Past Grand Organist
P.M.: Past Master.
P.G.St.Br.: Past Grand Standard Bearer.
P.G.Swd.B.: Past Grand Sword Bearer.
P.G.W.: Past Grand Warden.
P.J.G.W.: Past Junior Grand Warden.
P.P.G.C.: Past Provincial Grand Chaplain.
P.S.G.D.: Past Senior Grand Deacon.
Pr.: Provincial
Prov. G.M.: Provincial Grand Master.
P.T.: Pro tempore.
p.w.: password.
Q.C.: Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076. The oldest English lodge devoted to scholarly research into freemasonry.
Q.C.C.C.: Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle.
R.A.: Royal Arch. An order which apparently developed in the eighteenth century open only to masons and whose rituals purport to be the completion and culmination of the spiritual journey of the degrees of craft masonry.
R.A.M.: Royal Ark Mariner.
R.C.C.: Red Cross of Constantine.
R.M.B.I.: Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
R.M.H.: Royal Masonic Hospital.
R.M.I.B.: Royal Masonic Institution for Boys.
R.M.I.G.: Royal Masonic Institution for Girls.
R.W.: Right Worshipful. Used for Present and Past Deputy Grand Master; Assistant Grand Master; Provincial and District Grand Masters.
S.C.: Scottish Constitution.
S.D: Senior Deacon.
S.G.D.: Senior Grand Deacon.
S.G.W.: Senior Grand Warden.
S.L.G.R.: Senior London Grand Rank.
S.L.G.C.R.: Senior London Grand Chapter Rank. (Royal Arch).
Sn.: Sign.
Sns.: Signs
Sojr.: Sojourner (Royal Arch).
S.W.: Senior Warden.
Swd.: Sword.
T.B.: Tracing Board.
T.G.A.O.T.U.: The Great Architect of the Universe: the Supreme Being; God.
U.G.L.E.: United Grand Lodge of England.
V.S.L.: Volume of the Sacred Law. 'All initiates shall take their Obligation on or in full view of the open Volume of the Sacred Law, by which is meant the revelation from above which is binding on the conscience of the particular individual who is being initiated' (Basic Principals for Grand Lodge Recognition, 1929).
V.W.: Very Worshipful. Used for Present and Past Grand Chaplains; Grand Registrars; Grand Secretaries; Presidents of Grand Charity, Masonic Foundation, Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, New Masonic Samaritan Fund; Grand Director of Ceremonies; Grand Sword Bearers; Grand Superintendent of Works; Grand Inspectors.
W.: Worshipful. Used for all present and past grand officers, and present and past masters of lodges not entitled to the prefix M.W., R.W., or V.W.
W.M.: Worshipful Master.
W.T.: Working tool.
Z.: Zerubabel, Prince of Jerusalem. One of the three Grand Principals of the Royal Arch.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Time to repair ?

Large tears or spots can significantly reduce the value of your certificate by up to 70%!  Do try out repairs on a spare less preserved certificate that even might go lost in the process. Don't use ordinary adhesive tape. In its most recent issue from April 2010, Scripophily magazine discusses quite in depth how and when to repair tears, remove dirt or dealer pencil markings and much more. The magazine is published by the International Bond & Share Society.